Cairo protesters camp outside palace

EGYPT'S presidential palace was encircled by anti-Muslim Brotherhood protesters in a demonstration that turned violent, as the constitutional crisis caused by Mohammed Morsi's assumption of powers showed no sign of abating.

Dr Morsi was forced to leave the Cairo palace through a back door on Tuesday night as up to 100,000 people moved in to surround it. Some stones were thrown, one hitting the rear car in the President's convoy.

Hundreds of protesters were camped in front of the palace on Wednesday morning, as Mr Morsi's aide said the President had returned to work at the building.

Protesters chant anti-Morsi slogans in front of the presidential palace in Cairo after Egypt’s opposition called for mass protests against the government on Tuesday. Photo: Reuters

On Tuesday night, ignoring volleys of tear-gas, the protesters burst through two police lines to reach the palace, which was the site of the final act in the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak, the former dictator, last year. The demonstrators chanted: "The people want the downfall of the regime."

Advertisement

Dr Morsi thought he had won a significant victory on Monday, when the Supreme Judicial Council countermanded decisions by judges to boycott a referendum set to approve a constitution that opponents say is Islamist and fails to respect key rights. But Tuesday night's rally suggested opposition would continue.

"Thousands of people are joining us in this demonstration against the dictatorship of the Ikhwan [Brotherhood]," said Hussein Abdel-Ghani, a spokesman for the National Salvation Front. The front is the coalition of liberal, leftist and secular parties led by Mohamed ElBaradei, the former United Nations Atomic Agency chief, which is organising the protests.

Protesters run from smoke from a tear gas canister thrown by riot police. Photo: Reuters

"We are going to use any possible civil means to send a message to both the President and the international community," he added.

Maryam Samy, 25, a telecommunications engineer, said: "The new constitution has no compromise. They want to apply their own standards of freedom, which is not freedom. This constitution is worse than the Mubarak constitution. The Brotherhood are using the poor and religion to divide society."

The rally provided a stark illustration of the dividing line that has cut across Egypt.

Saturday's marches by the Muslim Brotherhood also mustered hundreds of thousands, largely from the suburbs and the conservative provincial towns. Tuesday's crowd was younger and included thousands of women, many not wearing headscarves.

The Brotherhood insists the constitution contains basic rights and freedoms, including of speech and belief, as well as recognising Egypt's traditional Muslim culture. It says the referendum, set for December 15, will end Dr Morsi's powers to act without judicial oversight on "sovereign matters".

It accuses opposition leaders like Mr ElBaradei of being responsible for the impasse. "We're glad Egyptians are able to express opinion freely and hopefully peacefully," the Brotherhood's website said. "Ballot box to decide outcome."